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The Friends of Sheffield Castle are a voluntary group who aim to protect and promote the archaeological site of Sheffield Castle for the benefit of the people of Sheffield and surrounding areas, and for future generations.

We will acquire and disseminate information about Sheffield Castle, at both local and national levels and work with local, regional and national organisations to protect and promote the remains as a source of enjoyment, education and inspiration for All.

Mili Rajic from Wessex on the current excavations/latest finds
Dave Clarke from Sheffield Hallam on the tunnels and myths of Sheffield
John Moreland from Sheffield University on the excavations from the 1920’s

All talks were sold out with over 100 attending each one. the event also showcased artefacts from previous digs displayed by Museums Sheffield and Wessex Archaeology also brought some of the finds from the current dig including the ink jar, stone window tracery and the medieval ear scoop! Thanks to Sheffield Hallam Institute of Arts for hosting.

Searching for something else I came across this recently (as you do) and thought it might be relevant to the castle. It’s from A Descriptive Catalogue of Early Charters relating to lands in and near Sheffield by T.W.Hall. It includes:

“a charter (prior to 1290) confirming a grant from Robert Young of Schefeld to Simon Halday of Schefeld, of one place of land with buildings in the town of Schefeld, which he held of Ralph de Wadesley, as it lay between the toft formerly of Richard Stivel on one side and the toft formerly of Rayner the cobbler on the other and it abutted upon the great road to the castle; and also one place of land, of the courtyard of him [the grantor], as it lay between the toft of the said Simon on one side and the toft formerly of the said Rayner on the other and it abutted at one end on the place of land which he [the grantor] had sold to the said Simon and at the other end on the garden of Matilda daughter of William the tanner and from the garden of the said Matilda extending to a certain curtain wall and thence to the east as far as the embattled wall of the courtyard, once Rayner’s, …” Hall notes that in 1270, Thomas de Furnival obtained from Henry III a charter that provided that he might build and fortify and embattle a castle of stone. Are the curtain wall and embattled wall part of Thomas’ new castle?

1. Experience Castlegate – interactive exhibition
What if you could see the past, present and future of our city all at the same time? Experience Sheffield Castle through an augmented reality model, learn about recent archaeological research and see visions of the future from University of Sheffield students.

Experience Castlegate brings together academics from Archaeology, Architecture and Computer Science, with city partners Human Studio, to develop the first full 3D digital model of Sheffield Castle. This talk showcases the digital model and describes how augmented reality is bringing the Castle to life in its modern context, both in the Futurecade at the Millennium Galleries and down on site in Castlegate. John Moreland is Professor of Medieval Archaeology at the University of Sheffield. Carolyn Butterworth is an architect and Senior University Teacher at the University of Sheffield’s School of Architecture (SSoA). HumanVR create digital experiences that explore new paths of communication and creative expression.

Mili Rajic, Wessex Archaeology’s project manager, gives a talk focusing on recent results of the archaeological excavation of the site of Sheffield Castle. Alongside the archaeological results, Mili will talk about drones, cameras, media and community engagement.